How to fix scratches and dents on aluminium channel on gunwale

[Starcrafty]

Hi everyone, new starcraft owner. Bought a 1979 16'SS and hauled all the way from MI to TX. It was going so well for couple of months but today we went to a lake we were unfamiliar with and the dock was terrible without any padding.

I had to tie the boat to the dock to get the trailer but wind gusts banged the gunwale of the boat pretty bad in 5 mins and the aluminium channel got dinged and scratched and the rubber insert came out partially. I pushed the rubber insert with flathead screwdriver inside but it's still scratched up. Is there a way to get both the channel and rubber insert look good again?

feel terrible. Should have docked on the other side so boat wouldn't have banged against the dock.

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard

you can spend lots of time with a small sheet metal flange tool to get the channel straightened back out, and then re-paint it

the rubber can be bought new

 

[dingbat]

Finger nail polish remover or Penetrol on a clean rag will clean the plastic right up. Make it look like new

 

[Starcrafty]

welcome aboard

you can spend lots of time with a small sheet metal flange tool to get the channel straightened back out, and then re-paint it

the rubber can be bought new

Thanks for the tip on flange tool for the bent part, but as I understand from reading other threads, the channel is anodised and the scarring left dents, I was hoping to see if I can restore to the original aluminium and not paint it. Is that possible ?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thanks for the tip on flange tool for the bent part, but as I understand from reading other threads, the channel is anodised and the scarring left dents, I was hoping to see if I can restore to the original aluminium and not paint it. Is that possible ?

no, you will see the crazing in the anodizing if it was anodized. most likely it was just a 5000 series extrusion. in that case, scotchbright pad

 

[dingbat]

Thanks for the tip on flange tool for the bent part, but as I understand from reading other threads, the channel is anodised and the scarring left dents, I was hoping to see if I can restore to the original aluminum and not paint it. Is that possible ?

The only way to repair an anodized piece is to have the part anodized again.

Could clean up the damaged area and apply a clear coat finish of some sort but you would have a color difference to contend with